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A review by littlefoot10
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'm honestly super glad I am finally done this book and this series. Howl's Moving Castle has been one of my favourite movies for it feels like my entire life.
The first novel in this series was INCREDIBLE... and the second and this final novel were just downhill in my opinion.
Howl is actually present for quite a bit of this book but he's a child named Twinkle that has a lisp. Reading those passages was annoying and difficult.
The main character Charmain was annoying as well because I understand she just wants to spend her days reading, but she has no life skills...at all. I don't realistically understand what this character did every day before going to take care of this magical house.
Peter was okay, if not just used the entirety as someone that is clumsy and can't do anything correctly.
Waif was my favourite part of this entire book.
And the ending just felt so rushed after the entire book just being the magical house basically. I want more of the conclusion. Once Peter is named the next in line, once Sophie and her family are leaving. Once Charmain begins working for the king and learning magic and the elfgift. That is where the story really is. Not in the stupid magic of the house with laundry and plumbing and all the food that is eaten. I feel like the majority of the book was Charmain and Peter figuring out how to eat each meal every day.
If I was ever to do a re-read I would honestly just read Howl's Moving Castle and skip book two and three because they were not worth the time it took to read them. I've given this a 3 star only because Waif, Sophie and Calcifer were the only saving graces of this book and maybe the Uncle...but barely.
The first novel in this series was INCREDIBLE... and the second and this final novel were just downhill in my opinion.
Howl is actually present for quite a bit of this book but he's a child named Twinkle that has a lisp. Reading those passages was annoying and difficult.
The main character Charmain was annoying as well because I understand she just wants to spend her days reading, but she has no life skills...at all. I don't realistically understand what this character did every day before going to take care of this magical house.
Peter was okay, if not just used the entirety as someone that is clumsy and can't do anything correctly.
Waif was my favourite part of this entire book.
And the ending just felt so rushed after the entire book just being the magical house basically. I want more of the conclusion. Once Peter is named the next in line, once Sophie and her family are leaving. Once Charmain begins working for the king and learning magic and the elfgift. That is where the story really is. Not in the stupid magic of the house with laundry and plumbing and all the food that is eaten. I feel like the majority of the book was Charmain and Peter figuring out how to eat each meal every day.
If I was ever to do a re-read I would honestly just read Howl's Moving Castle and skip book two and three because they were not worth the time it took to read them. I've given this a 3 star only because Waif, Sophie and Calcifer were the only saving graces of this book and maybe the Uncle...but barely.